Asking to be furloughed - what to do?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

Tomorrow I will be asked to be furloughed by my employer, taking a 20% pay reduction.

I can work from home, but it isn't easy with 2 kids.

If I agree to be furloughed now am I effectively agreeing to be sacked later on down the line?

Also I claim tax credits - do I let them know of my change in circumstances or do they not count furloughs? I suppose it's nearly renewal time anyway!

Shameless bump

Furlough is for people who can’t work, not for people who can work from home.

Does you employer have no work for you to do e.g have they lost business? They shouldn't be furloughing just cause it's hard to work from home?

My firm may be furloughing some admin staff, and potentially junior professional staff. Staff we cannot keep busy. I’m not in those categories.

It may be that roles will be combined for now while work is lower. In my firm there is no suggestion that this will lead to layoffs, in fact, conversely, this is to maintain jobs long term.

Do you mean you have told them it's too hard to WFH and have kids so they are furloughing you?

Or did they tell you, you cant worm from home because of the kids?

To clarify they are furloughing to save money

I can WFH but not as efficiently as at work as I don’t have access to certain programmes

YOU CANNOT AND MUST NOT DO ANY WORK WHATSOEVER IF YOU ARE FURLOUGHED.

What part of that do employees and employers not get It is NOT a money saving exercise.

I don’t intend to WFH if I’m furloughed - I think some have been confused by my post! I’m asking for advice on if I should agree to the furlough?

When I say I can WFH I mean for the most part - think of a receptionist who obviously can’t work reception but who can do diary bookings, answer emails etc

Yes then by all means agree to be furloughed. You will be paid 80% of your wages and you get to stay safe.

And enjoy your family and staying safe and safe in the knowledge that you do not and should not do any work at all all the time you are furloughed.

You did confuse me when you said it was a money saving exercise.

I can WFH but not as efficiently as at work as I don’t have access to certain programmes

But is it uoi saying to your boss 'I cant work from home'

Or are they saying you cant.

80% of your wage to do nothing. I don't know why you'd refuse?

It’s them saying I can’t

I think it's fair enough and within the spirit of the scheme to work out who can and who can't wfh when a certain % of the workforce would be laid off to ask who can wfh easily and who can't.

If there are 2 people doing a similar job on similar pay, 1 has grown or no dcs and 1 has young dcs at home it would make business sense to furlough the one without young dependents running around or other caring responsibilities.

In your situation I would accept the furlough, home school your dcs and have a lot less stress than trying to wfh.

The company I work for is doing the same - furloughing some of the junior/admin staff because the workload is reduced right now (construction). I would quite welcome it, to be honest, but they've furloughed my assistant instead, so I get to do her job as well as my own, while she relaxes at home. (don't worry, she's fine with it). We can work from home quite easily, although part of my job is office manager, and obviously there's no office to manage at the moment.

I wouldn't say it makes you more likely to be sacked down the line, or at least it shouldn't, but I'm guessing that the same staff whose workload has dropped off significantly in the current situation are most likely the same ones who would be made redundant in a real downturn.

I'm advising a lot of companies about this at the moment. Having spoken to various HR / finance teams I'd therefore be concerned that if you don't accept to be furloughed that they will offer you the simple alternative of being made redundant. There aren't many people for whom that's a better option!

So they say you cant do your job at home.

They can furlough you. Inwoild imagine if you refuse, they would have no choice than to make your redundant.

Being furloughed is so that companies dont make people redundant and they can go back to work (if possible, some companies wont survive even with 80% wages and other schemes available) after its over.

Not really sure refusing, is a wise idea or going to make anything better for you.

It’s them saying I can’t

Well in that case, you cannot be furloughed unless they offer it to you.

Be very careful, if you say you are not going in, they may tell you to take it as unpaid leave. You are caught between the devil and a hard place.

Furloughing is when there is no work for an employee at all. If they still require your services on the premises, then they have the right to ask for that and expect it. The Government has not yet said that ALL non essential businesses must close down, only those that normally have lots of interaction with people.